Srinagar, March 2: Schools in Kashmir valley came alive on Wednesday after remaining shut for 31 months due to the security situation in the border territory and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authorities in the second week of February decided to reopen schools across Jammu and Kashmir as the number of COVID-19 cases dropped significantly.
School buses filled with students made way to respective schools across the city and other parts of the valley, officials said.
As the number of vehicles increased due to the opening of schools at rush hour, many parts of the city witnessed massive traffic snarls but, for once, no one was complaining.
Outside the main schools, students queued up for a screening of body temperature at part of the anti-COVID standard operating procedure. Students of secondary and higher secondary who are usually in the age group of 15 to 18 years could be seen carrying their vaccination certificates to be shown at the entry gates.
The government has made it compulsory for students above the age of 15 years to be fully vaccinated for them to be allowed for attending in-person classes. The schools have initiated various steps including breaking classes into even-odd groups as part of anti-COVID measures.
Today, lakhs of children returned to schools. The students say the extended closure has affected their education as well as their social and emotional bonding.
During this long closure, most of the children couldn't even access online education for 18 months due to an internet blockade following the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status on August 5, 2019.
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